Automatic block-signal joint.



Patented May 16,1911.

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W. MGGUIRE & L. H. KINNBY.

AUTOMATIC BLOCK SIGNAL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 9:1910.

WIlLLIAM MCGUIRE AND LLOYD H. KINNEY, OF CLIFTON" PEIFNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC BLOCK-SIGNAL JOIlNT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mav 16, 1911.

Application filed July 9, 1910. Serial No. 571,181.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that we, WILLIAM MCGUIRE and LLOYD H. KIN NEY, citizens of the United States, residing' at Clifton, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Block- Signal Joints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railway rails and has particular reference to insulation for joints and sectional rail systems.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient construction of insulation spliced between the rails and the splice bars, so that all of the parts are thoroughly insulated from each other.-

Another .object is to provide an improved construction of bolt insulating devices so that when the nuts of said bolts are tightened the insulating sleeve thereon will engage the insulating members between the rail and the splice bars so that there will be a frictional and binding contact between the said insulating members.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangements of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims,it being understood that the changes in the specific structure shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without. departing from the spirit of the invention. V

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the preferred form of our invention.

Fig. 2 is across section'of the same, on the line 22. Fig. 3 is a sectional detailed View of the insulating sleeve for the bolt showing one part. Fig. 4 is a similar view of the other part.

Referring now to the drawings 10 represents the web of an ordinary rail having a usual tread member 11 and base 12, on either side of which is disposedthe splice bars 13 and 14. Olamped between the rail and the splice bars are the insulating strips 15 which conform to the contour of the side of the rail, and are provided with bolt openings 16 which may be of any desired number conforming to the numberof openings in the web of the rail and the splice bars. The openings 17 in the splice bars, are of somewhat larger diameter than the openings 18 in the web of the rail, to accbmmoda'te the enlargement 19 of the insulating'sleeve 20. The insulating sleeve is reduced at 21 to pass through the opening 18 of'the web of the rail and provided with the beveled shoulder 22 adapted to engage the correspondntlyJbeVeled wall 23 of the opening 16 of the insulating,strip. The reduced portion 21of the insulating sleeve 19 extends transversely through the rail, and the op posite splice bar 13, and has its extremity lying flush with the outer face of the said splice bar. A washer 'member24 is provided with the counter sunk opening 25 to receive the ends of the reduced portion 21, the end of said reduced portion abutting against the angular'ishoulder 26. Both thewasher member 24 and the enlargement on'the opposite end of the sleeve 19 are provided with the flanged head 27 adapted to lie against the outer faces of the splice bars, and interposed'between the head 29 and the said flange 27, and between the nut 30 and the flange 27 of the Washer 2 1, of the bolt 29 are the ordinary'metal washers 31. The sleeve 19 is slipped through from the right of Fig. 2, and the washer member 24 slipped in from the left with the beveled edges 23 of the openings of the insulating strips engaging the beveled faces 22 and 22 respectively of the sleeve 19 and the washer member 24, so that when the nut of the bolt is tightened the said beveled edges and faces will be brought into binding contact and slightly spread the material of the insulating medium at such contactv point toefiect a more perfect insulating joint.

. From the foregoing it will readily be seen that we have provided a simple, cheap, and eflicient insulating means for a rail joint or sectional rail.

A slice of insulation 11", is placed between.

the meeting ends of the rails.

What is claimed is: 1. An insulating device for a sectional rail joint comprising strips of insulating-material interposed between the rail and, theadapted to engage the beveled edge of the opening in the other of said strips.

2. An insulating device for railway rail joints comprising insulating strips disposed on opposite sides of the rail and between the rail and the splice bars, said strips being formed with openings having beveled edges therearound, insulating sleeves through which the bolts of the joints are adapted to pass, each of said sleeves having an enlargement at one end, a beveled face on said enlargement for engagement with the bev- ,eled edges of said openings, a reduced tion on said sleeve extending across the joint and through the bolt opening, and a Washer member having its inner end beveled to engage the beveled edge of an opening in the adjacent insulating strip, said washer memher being formed with a counter sunk opening of approximately the same diameter as the reduced portion of the sleeve and adapted to receive the said reduced portion.

In testimony whereof We a'lfix our signatures, in presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES KINLNEY, M. E. SMITH. 

